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' G. H. DAVIS.

PAPER FEEDING MAGHINE.

No. 387,582. A Patented Aug. '7. 1888.

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PAPER FEEDING MACHINE. No. 387,582.

Patented-Aug, 7, 1888.

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G. H. DAVIS. PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

No. 387,582. Patented Aug. '7, 1888.

UNITED TATES PATENT FFICE.

G. HOXVLETT DAVIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,582, dated August'7, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, G. HOWLETI. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inyentedcertain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feeding Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of paperfeeding machines which feedseparate sheets of paper, and has for its object to provide a simple,lnexpensive, and practical construction to accomplish the purposesherein set forth.

I have chosen to show my invention in conneotion with a type-writingmachine, in order todescribe and illustrate the most difficult applcation of a paper-feeding machine-that is, with a machine so constructedthat its platen revolves and also moves to the right and left.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of myimprovements, showing the separating device attached to the carriage ofa type-writing machine and the feed-table supported from the frame ofsaid machine. Fig. 2 1s a plan View showing the relative positions ofthe improvements with the paper-carriage of the type-Writing machinedrawn to the extreme right. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same,showing fully the construction and arrangement of the several rear partsof the typewriting machine and my improvements.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

A is an inclined feed-table provided with paper-rests B, paper-guides OD, and shaftclamps F, the whole moving simultaneously with lever J.

The papermests B, made to slide through projections B can be drawn outto support a large supply of paper. The springs B screwed to thefeed-table at points B and hooked to the rear ends of paper-rests B, areof sufficient tension to draw back on the said paper-rests and keep theteeth B and fingers B which are rigidly attached to the projecting endsof the paper-rests, against the bottom and outside edge of a variablesupply of paper resting on the arms of the said paper-rests. The fingersB are elastic and assist in preventing more than one sheet from risingata time by taking a frictional hold on the second sheet as soon as thelower edge of the outside sheet has been raised beyond their ends, whichare sharpened flat.

The paper-guides O D are adjusted to suit the height and width of paperbeing fed by means of slotted strips 0 D, which are screwed to thefeed-table A, so as to pass over the inside edges of the notches madetherein, and the slotted strips 0 D,bent at right angles,so that whenthe slotted ends cross the strips G D the other ends project beyond theface of the feed-table A and are adjusted and held in position by thethumbscrews U D, which pass through the opening made where the twoslotted strips cross each other to a not on the opposite side, thusclamping the angular strips to the stationary strips in any position. Byloosening the thumb-screws they can be moved in the slots of thestationary strips,or the movable right-angular strips infolding them canbe moved in or out to suit the size of the paper being fed. Thecross-arms (J extend over the table for the purpose of preventing thepaper falling forward off the said table when it is returned to itsnormal position.

In order to allow a sheet of paper being fed into the carriage of atype-writing machine to move freely to the left with it, the guide P, ofthe shape shown, is mounted on the carriage of the said machine by meansof a clamp-screw, the upper portion of the said guide being bent so asto guide the lower left-hand edge of the paper into the feed. A lowerleft-hand guide placed on the feed-table would prevent the top of theseparated sheet from moving to the left with the carriage.

The spring-rod E is made to work through pivot E, which turns in clamp Escrewed on arm H, the lower end, E of rod E being bent to pass throughleverJat point J. The spring E attached to pivot E and the lower end ofthe rod E, is shown slightly drawn in Fig. 1, caused by the backingtendency of the feedtable and lever J while in their normal position.This construction is so arranged on the arm H with reference totheleverJ that a contraction of the spring E is caused while thespring-rod E is passing the vertical, and the said spring is elongatedand pulls back on the said lever after it has reached a certain point.Owing to'the expansion of the spring E directl y after the spring-rod Epasses the vertical,

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the movement of the lever and feed-table is accelerated about the timethe paper reaches the separating device. This accelerated movement isdesirable, but not essential, and therefore the device described mightbe dispensed with by employing a simple device for stopping the backwardmovement of the food table.

The shaft-clamps F are screwed to the feedtable A and clamp the shaft Gby means of thumb screws F, which work through to grooves G in shaftArms H H, of the shape shown, are ridgedvlongitudinallyattheirlowerends,l lfltoprevent them from turning in thecorrugatedopenings 1 made through angle-clamps I, (see Fig. 2,) and byraising or lowering the said arms and securing them by the thumbscrews Ithe feedtable is adjusted at will. The feed-table may also be adjustedparallel with the papercan riage by resetting the arm H in the angleclamp I, thus changing the position of its top end upon which thefeed-table rests.

The angle-clarnpsl are permanently and rig idly attached to the frame ofthe writinganachine by means of the screws 1, which work throughscrew-holes already made for secur ing the rail-standards to the frameofwritingmachine.

The lever J, wedged to shaft G, is extended to the front of thewritingmachine to a posi tion where it can be conveniently grasped bythe hand of the operator.

The bridge-arms K are seen rel y attached to the carriage-rods Z of thewriting-machine by means of the clamps K.

The slots L are formed in thcarms K for the reception of the ends N ofbar N, and the slots are so inclined with respect to the movement of thelower edge of the feed-table A that the friction surface of the clearingplate M is caused to rub upward against the supply of paper so long asthe feed-table advances, and when the feed-table recedes the bar N fromthe force of gravity slides down the slots L to its normal position.

The bar N is provided with a number of screw-pins, N, the points ofwhich are made to project beyond the face of the said bar by turningthem from the back. The ends N of the bar N are made to fit closely inthe slots L, thus keeping the said bar in proper position whetherstationary or moving.

The elearingplate M is adjusted on the bar N by two pins projecting fromthe rear of the clearing-plate and passing through two holes in the saidbar, the said pins being provided at their ends with small nuts, whichare adjusted loosely in order to allow a slight move ment of the saidpins and clearing-plate when the latter is pressed against the bar N.Small holes are made through the clearing-plate opposite the points ofthe screw-pins N, so that the said pins may be adjusted to projectthrough their respective holes when the clearingplate is pressed, thuscausing the points of the said pins to indent or slightly prick thefirst sheet of paper on the feedtable, and this, together withthefriction of the clearing-plate, is sufficient to raise the thickestor heaviest sheet of paper. The clearing'plate, or that part of it whichcomes in contact with the paper, is made frictional by roughening itssurface or by padding or constructing it of rubber or other suitablematerial. Ordinarily the friction alone on a sheet of paper is sul'fi,cient to raise it; but the aid of the pin-points is essential whensmooth or heavy paper is being fed.

The buller-spriugs O are arranged on the arms K, so as to impede theupward movement of the bar N should it happen to be forced back too far.

The operation of my improvements is as follows: A supply of paper-sayone hundred shectsis placed on the feed-table A by drawing out thepaper-rests B and adjusting the side guides, G, I), and l. The carriageof the writing-machine being drawn to the right, as is always done tocommence a line, the forefinger is extended back and a quick pull giventhe lever J, which causes the lower portion of the feed-table toadvance, bringing the outside sheet of the supply of paper restingthereon in contact with the clearing-plate,thereby causing the points ofthe screwpins N to protrude through the openings in the clearing-plateand indent or prick the said sheet and forcing the bar N, with theclcaringplate, up the slots L. Owing to the inclination of the slots Lwith respect to the movement of the opposite portion of the feed-tablean upward rubbing of the clearing-plate against the outside sheet ofpaper is produced, and this, aided by the frictional hold of the pointsof the pins N, raises the sheet above the points of the teeth B and thefingers 13", which prevent the second sheet from rising by taking africtional hold on it as soon as the lower edge of the first sheet israised above them. The bottom edge of the first sheet left on thefeed-table is always sufficiently raised above the one; next it--whichis owing to the increased curvature of the arms of the paper-rests nearthe teeth or projecting end and the upward rubbing against it by thelast sheet raiscd to allow the points of the said teeth and lingers tohold the second sheet and the balance of the paper on the feed-tablewhile the last sheet is being raised. \Vheu the feed-table recedes, thebar N slides down the slots L until suddenly stopped, which throws theclearingplate from it against the raised sheet sufficient to detach itshould it be hanging on the points of the pins N. The separated sheetnow drops and is directed by the guides G, l), and P onto thefeed-roller X, the top of the sheet being below the guides (J. The sheetin this position is ready to he directed at will around the platen bythe feed roller X and guides X and moves freely to the right and leftwith the carriage.

It is estimated that the entire operation of ICO feeding a sheet fromthe supply on the feedtable to the feed-roller of the writing-machinecan be accomplished in less than two seconds.

It is obviousthat myinvention contemplates an extended application byarranging the feedtable to be operated automatically and to feedaseparate sheet at the proper time to any fixed point-such as theplatens, cylinders, &c.of

printing, ruling,and other machines.

By making the face of the bar N employed in my separating devicefrictional the screwpins N and the clearing-plate M might be dispensedwith, especially when thin rough paper only is intended to be fed.

vV hat I claim is- 1. In a paper-feeding machine, the combination of afeed-table mounted upon pivotal bearings and provided with mechanism forswinging the same, substantially as described, and a bar provided withscrew-pins the points of which project from its face, the ends of thesaid bar being mounted in bearing-slots set at an angle to the-line ofmovement of the said table, whereby when the said bar is impinged uponby the said table it moves up the face of the same, substantially as setforth.

2. In a paper-feeding machine, the combination of a feed-table pivotallymounted upon a frame, paper-rests set in perforated projections, teethmounted upon the ends of the said arms adapted to impinge upon the saidpaper, and a spring attached to the other end of the said arms andadapted to draw the same toward the table, substantially as set forth.

3. In a paper-feeding machine, the combination of a feed-table mountedupon pivotal bearings, substantially as described, paperrests,substantially as described, secured to the said table, and a separatingdevice placed in the line of movement of said table and adapted to moveup the face of same when impinged upon, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a paper-feeding machine, the combination of a feed-table mountedupon pivotal bearings, substantially as described, a lever attachedrigidly to the said table and provided with a handle within convenientreach of the operator, and a regulating device consisting of a pivotworking in a socket formed by clamps rigidly attached to one support ofthe feedtable, a rod loosely mounted in a perforation at the outer endof the said pivot, anda spiral spring infolding the said rod and securedto the end thereof and to the said pivot, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a paper-feeding machine, a device for separating one sheet from asupply, consisting of a rod provided with a row of screw-pins andmounted in oblique slots at either end, said slots being set at an angleto the line of move ment of the said feed-table, whereby when the saidtable impinges the said bar the latter is caused to move upward againstthe face of the said table, substantially as described.

6. In a paper-feeding machine, the combination of the carriage of aprinting-machine, substantially as described, two arms mounted thereonand provided with slots set at an angle to the line of movement of afeed-table, a bar provided with screw-pins and mounted in the said slotsin the said arms, and a feed-table adapted to move forward against thesaid bar, substantially as described.

G. I-IO\VLETT DAVIS.

Vitnesses:

H. J. ENGLAND, JOHN T. ARMS.

